Running Out of Time
by Cracked and Broken
Summary: Blood trickled down my sides, down my paws, leaving bloody paw prints in the ground. Paw prints that carried my scent. Paw prints he could fallow... Chapter 11 up!
1. Allegiances

**WindClan**

**Leader: Runningstar** – brown and white tabby tom

**Deputy: Birchclaw** – light gray tabby tom

**Medicine Cat: Grayflower **– darker gray she-cat

**Apprentice, Flightpaw**

**Warriors:**

**Rainheart** – blue gray she-cat

**Frostpelt** – white tom with yellow eyes

**Apprentice, Sinewpaw**

**Burlfur** – dark brown tom with amber eyes

**Barkfur** – dark brown tom with green eyes

**Apprentice, Sparklepaw**

**Sunshine** – golden tabby she-cat

**Apprentices**

**Sparklepaw – **golden tabby she-cat

**Sinewpaw** – golden brown tabby tom

**Flightpaw** – light gray she-cat with dark blue eyes

**Queens:**

**Creamdrop** – cream-colored she-cat

**Elders:**

**Nightfoot** – white tom with black feet

**Lostear** – gray and white tom

**RiverClan**

**Leader: Nightstar** – black tom

**Deputy: Foxtail** – ginger tom

**Medicine Cat: Sparrowtail** – light tabby she-cat

**Warriors:**

**Flashfoot** – light gray tom

**Darkwind** – dark gray tom

**Apprentice, Pinepaw**

**Grasspelt** – tortoiseshell she-cat

**Rockfoot** – dark brown tom

**Apprentice, Drypaw**

**Lightclaw** – light golden tabby tom

**Apprentice, Pebblepaw**

**Queens:**

**Whitefeather – **small white she-cat

**Elders:**

**Frailtail** – very thin gray she-cat

**Woodfur** – dark brown tom

**ShadowClan**

**Leader: Cedarstar** – dark gray tom

**Deputy: Tawnytail** – golden tabby she-cat

**Medicine Cat: Flowerpetal** – brown tabby she-cat

**Warriors: **

**Silverheart** – silver tabby she-cat

**Stormpelt** – long-haired gray tom

**Fishtail** – thin gray tom

**Apprentice, Larchpaw**

**Puddlefur** – murky brown she-cat

**Brooktail** light brown she-cat

**Queens:**

**Streamtail** – light blue-gray she-cat

**Featheredfoot** – silver tabby she-cat

**Elders:**

**Shineleaf** – white tom

**Croockedjaw **- golden tom

**ThunderClan**

**Leader: Wingedstar** – golden tabby she-cat

**Deputy: Darkheart** – black tom

**Medicine Cat: Icepelt** – long-haired white she-cat with black-tipped fur

**Apprentice, Nightpaw**

**Warriors:**

**Ivoryfur** – creamy white she-cat

**Twistedtail** – golden tom with twisted tail

**Shallowpelt** – light golden she-cat

**Apprentice, Spottedpaw**

**Geckofoot** – grey tom

**Toadfoot** – gray tom

**Apprentice, Frogpaw**

**Queens:**

**Sorrelpelt** – tortoiseshell she-cat

**Flowertail** – golden tabby she-cat

**Elders: **

**Snowstorm** – long-haired white she-cat

**Freightstep** – thickset gray tom

**Cats Outside the Clans**

**Shark** - very dark gray tom, Flightpaws brother

**Flash** - dark gray tom, Flightpaws cousin

**Bog** - black tom, Flightpaws father


	2. The Dream

I ran, terrified by an unknown danger. Shadows swarmed around me, and I felt paws reaching for e, trying to stop me. Terror seized my heart, where was I? I was in a forest, trees and ferns whipping past my face and cutting into my sides. Blood trickled down my sides, down my paws, leaving bloody paw prints in the ground. Paw prints that carried my scent. Paw prints he could fallow.

I heard him behind me, silent paws thudding gently on the ground, eyes glowing. Darkness began to creep along the edge of my vision, and finally a paw reached out and touched me. Pain and suffering rocketed through my heart, breaking it in half. I stumbled and fell, and he was upon me.

At first I thought he was the same age as me, but he was smaller, much smaller, and black. He had small tingles of white around his muzzle, he was older then he looked, and had a determined look in his ice-blue eyes. My first impulse was to brace myself for a fight, so I tensed and waited for him to draw the first blood.

But it never came. I opened my eyes and he was still looking at me, calm and unmoving, not even panting from the chase. It's just a dream, I reminded myself, just a dream, and he can't kill me. This, however, did not ease my thoughts as he reached down to me, eyes locked with mine.

"What are you doing?" I tried to growl bravely, but it came out a squeaky as a kit. I reached up to push his paw away with my own, but instead they touched, paw to paw, and stuck. The black cats' eye glowed red, and At once pain flooded down my leg. It circled inside of my like a hurricane, lightning falling from the sky and slashing at my heart, which trembled and jerked.

Wind swirled around both of us, but I was hardly aware of it. A feeling of bliss caught my heart suddenly as visions flashed in front of my eyes. A cat, dark gray, walking alone on a twoleg trail one night, stopping for a rest and then a fire-colored cat darted across right in front of him, black shadows swirling around him, leaving glowing red paw prints in the ground.

Bats flying overhead, screeching into the night, painful sounds to my ears. They swooped low and lunged at me with open teeth, eyes closed and screaming at me. Finally one swooped down even closer and opened its' mouth to reveal many sharp teeth as he lunged in for my throat.

"Stop it!" I finally cried. The wind fell and the fire evaporated from the black cats' eyes, even though our two paws remained locked. They glowed in a beautiful array of yellow and gold, wreathing our paws, creating a gentle warmth that chased the pain and despair that the black tom had given me. The black tom stared at me some more then the light faded around our paws and I pulled mine away from him.

It felt as though it was on fire, and I gasped when I saw it. My entire paw had turned black. I looked up in terror at the black tom and then at my paw, what in StarClan was going on? He breaths became shallow and fast, staring at the black paw, which looked so odd on my light gray fur.

"Who are you?" I whispered; eyes wide with fear. The black tom broke his gaze from me and looked around, shadows of cats slinking in from all around us. They were all black, with bright red eyes and thin, as if they were starving.

"Who am I?" meowed the black cat, his ice-blue eyes sparkling like diamonds, "The better question is who are _you_." I was dumbfounded for a moment, looking at my paw and then to the cats around us. They let out eerie howls of support to the black cat, which smiled and raised his head, howling like a dog. Then the black cat looked strait back at me.

"Seven moons or seven days, I can wait whenever!" he howled, "Truth by told it's not that long. It's when the moon shall waver!" Above him, through the trees and in the clear black sky, in brilliant pale gray moon steadily turned redder and redder, "The curse mark is in place, there's no time to waste, and the return of Scourge is definite!"

Yowls sprang up everywhere and then the pain in my paw grew and grew. Suddenly the blackness felt my paw and began traveling upwards, scorching my fur and biting into me as it inched along my fur and settled on my shoulder, where it mad itself into a shape of a circle with three lines coming out of it, like a windmill.

It burned like fire and I crumpled to the ground, twitching. The black tom leaned in and then gently licked me between the ears. With a flash and a dog howl I jerked awake in the apprentice den, panting hard and alert, my senses were suddenly blocked out by a severe pain in my shoulder. I crumpled back to the nest, shivering in fright and pain. Nearby my friend Sparklepaw and her brother Sinewpaw hurried over.

"Flightpaw, Flightpaw!" Sparklepaw yowled in my ear. I wanted to answer her, but blackness was tugging at my heart, and the blackness began to grow more and fiercer.

"Sparklepaw; her shoulder!" snapped Sinewpaw, and they both gasped, I could only assume one thing, the black mark that the black tom had given me was still there.


	3. In the Stars

**Thanks for the reveiws peoples! This story will feture the minds of three cats - Flightpaw, the Black Cat, and you pick the last!... 0.o Yes... It seems I went into hibernation of FanFic... I shall be on top again! I will be as great as I once was! And for those of you who don't know, I was once Mooncloud!**

* * *

Flightpaws

* * *

The black mark on my shoulder continued to burn with every step I took and every move I made. I felt as though the black cats' hatred was burning into me and giving me pain and suffering. But there was something to it. Somewhere in it lurked power that I wanted. Power that if I could had, I would overflow with ambition and claim the forest. Part of me wanted to chew off my own fur, while another part wanted to embrace it. 

As I lay shivering, Sparklepaw running to get the Medicine Cat Grayflower, I felt a sudden stab of anger, what was I doing, shivering like a cold kit when I was a strong apprentice, as soon as I thought this the pain slackened, and I twisted around, snapping at Sinewpaw, the startled tom backed up and into the corner as I stood, panting hard and fighting back the pain to lay down and shiver again.

"Don't… underestimate me." I panted hotly, the black mark on my shoulder lessened its' pain and I took a deep breath in, "I'm not a kit." I hissed again at Sinewpaw. Yes, I had been a weakling when they had found me near the lake, and the pain still burned on me like a bee sting as I remembered being cold, wet, and alone, leaf-bare winds biting at my fur as the icy lake sloshed around me. I had been a rouge, or at least I thought, I was to young to remember and the freezing water had washed off my scent.

Sinewpaw and Sparklepaw were both older then me by about two moons. They looked alike as well; their mother was Sunshine, a nice she-cat with strong bones and pure blood. Her ancestors dated back to Tallstar, I was to learn later, and that Sinewpaw had inherited most of the noble leaders' blood. Sinewpaw was exactly how his name described him, sinewy.

He had long, strong, legs that were skinny and golden-brown. His muscles were stingy and strong, like knotted ropes. His tail was like the rest of him, skinny and thin, and his face was triangular and thin-cheeked, with amber eyes. He had been my best friend since kithood, and now it seemed like the only feelings I had for him were rage.

The pain suddenly ebbed away as did the rage that had consumed my heart. I felt weightless now, and shook myself, a light feeling in my chest; I wanted it to be filled, to be heavy and have to drag my feet with every step just to move. But it didn't happen. Great StarClan why didn't it happen!

I looked over at Sinewpaw again, he was shocked and I blinked again, trying to fill my heart with feelings and emotions again, but none would enter, it frightened me. Could I fill me heart again? What could I fill it with? Compassion couldn't enter it, neither could gentleness. But what about sympathy? It did help, but barely. At least the weightless feeling was lesser.

"I'm sorry." I murmured, suddenly ashamed that rage had gotten the better of me, "I don't know what happened." A thought struck me and I twisted around, "Sinewpaw is the black mark still there?" Sinewpaw opened and closed his mouth a few times and finally nodded. A chill ran up my spine.

Whatever that black cat in my dreams had done, it was real. I was connected to him. Visions of the pain and suffering rippling through me, the golden and yellow light the bound our paws, the blackness he had planted on me, and the words he had said.

"_Seven moons or seven days, I can wait whenever! Truth is told it's not that long; it's when the moon shall waver! The curse mark is in place, there's no time to waste, and the return of Scourge is definite!"_

Then the shadows around the two of us and the red moon glowing above. I shivered and sank down again, the pain sprung up slightly in my shoulder, more annoying then painful. Whatever that black spot was, it was terrifying.

Sparklepaw and Grayflower hurried back into the apprentice den, Grayflower with poppy seeds. I watched as Grayflower belt over me, giving me some of the seeds before examining the thing on my shoulder, her eyes wide with surprise and terror.

"How did you get this?" she whispered loud enough for only me to hear. Her voice, which was usually gentle and sweet like honey, was now sharp and almost a hiss of fright. She placed her paw on the black spot as I chewed on some poppy seeds and ebbed away into a deep sleep.

* * *

The Black Cat

* * *

I watched as the moon rose above us, and with my all-seeing eyes, saw the sun about a mouse length away from it. In a moon it would be the time for him to return back to the Clans and finish what he started, Firestars' death. But Firestar was dead, and the only one left to kill was twenty generations of blood; which rested in one ThunderClan warrior, Firestars only living decendant. 

I swirled my ear around as I heard cats approaching. StarClan. I sneered, they would question me now, but it would be too late. I had branded my chosen cat, and now I could return. I felt their eyes burn into my pelt with hostility, and now and then a growl behind me. But it would be no use; they could not stop me now.

"Who did you choose?" his a smoky dark gray tom with blue eyes, eyes as cold as ice on my fur. Behind him stalked a few more gray cats, all of various shades. I turned and smiled coldly to the dark gray tom. Behind him stood a black tom with a twisted foot, all of them stank of WindClan.

"I believe you know already." I sneered, "After my defeat ten generations ago, I can now pick a new one to brand, and that one is Flightpaw." The cats hissed and growl sharply. One, a light gray queen, stalked forward, eyes flashing. But the black tom with the twisted paw flicked his tail out, barring her path. Instead she hissed furiously at him from where she was.

"How dare you pick my daughter!" she snarled, "She will grow up to be a beautiful young warrior, strong and smart, even with your curse mark!" the black tom opened his mouth to say something but the gray she-cat ignored him, hissing angrily at me, "She will _never_ listen to you! She will never become your reincarnation! She will never kill her!"

"Pm the contrary, Shadow, she will." I meowed, smirking, "On the night of the lunar eclipse, when the moon blots out the sun, and night itself is blood-bathed, she will be mine, and the vengeance will be released." He flicked his tail to a nearby pool of silver water, "look into her future, in a moon this is what will come to be."

The gray she-cat pushed past the black tom and stalked over to the pool, staring into it hotly. Her blue eyes widened, and then her mouth opened in shock and blood whirled and teeth flashed before her eyes - a battle looming on the horizon. I smirked, it would come to happen, and then my spirit would be free, free to wander and control and kill every cat I felt.

"Now do you see what will happen to Flightpaw?" I meowed coolly, the cats behind me murmured and glanced at each other. They were all my descendants, but none were as evil as I was, and some were even pure-hearted. That included Flower, Twist, and Shadow. They obviously didn't know what was going to happen to the Chosen One. So I told them.

"She will be me, avenge me, and worship me!"

* * *

Flightpaws

* * *

I awoke later in the day, Sparklepaw and Sinewpaw had already let for the moors. Grayflower had left a few poppy seeds, and the black mark was aching dully again. So I gathered up the leftover poppy seeds and padded out into the WindClan clearing. Runningstar, Birchclaw, and my mentor were all talking together, and now as I looked at them, I wondered why I wasn't a warrior-in-training. Now that I thought of it, I wanted to be one more then a Medicine Cat apprentice. It was dull. I wanted to fight and hunt and learn to track, all I tracked were comfrey and marigold. 

"Grayflower?" I meowed as I got closer, my dark gray mentor twisted around and smiled at me, her blue eyes sparkling in warm praise. I usually felt proud and encouraged by this look, but now I felt as though I would retch.

"Flightpaw, are you feeling alright?" she asked me, a worried tingle in her blue eyes, "Do you want some more poppy seeds an rest?"

"No." I found my voice surprisingly cold today, the black mark throbbed slightly and I smiled, I was beginning to like the pain, "I want to learn how to fight." The three cats dropped their jaws like complete idiots and stared at me. Medicine cats were NOT supposed to learn how to fight, it was the last this they were supposed to do. I must say they looked like idiots as I proclaimed that.

"But, you're a Medicine Cat." meowed Runningstar, flabbergsated, he looked like the biggest idiot I had ever seen, and his eyes were sharp with shock, "You would have to be an apprentice for another three moons if you changed into a warrior apprentice. And besides, Medicine Cat Apprentices hardly change into Warriors Apprentices." That was Runningstar, always an idiot and not wanting to let cats do what they want. They had to worship StarClan and go to the Moonpool and blah blah blah.

"What about that ThunderClan Medicine Cat ages ago." I countered flatly, smirking slightly. The three cats glanced at each other, confused, the obviously forgot some of the elders tales, "You know the one where Firestars' apprentice was hit by a monster, and became a Medicine Cat?" Grayflower let a slight 'oh' out and bit her lip, and both Runningstar and Birchclaw looked uncomfortable and I continued, "If a warrior apprentice turned into a medicine cat apprentice, couldn't i switch it around?"

"But you already took your trip to Moonpool." meowed Grayflower, "You swore yourself into the laws of a medicine cat, never to reveal the secrets of StarClan, never to have kits, never to start wars, and instead end them..." I could see she was desperate to keep her first apprentice a medicine cat, so she could retire early and not have to bother with sick and injured cats. Grayflower was like that, and I didn't want to deal with her anymore.

"You seem to be acting differently, Flightpaw." meowed Birchclaw to me. I swung around to him, and he nodded to Runningstar, "You seem a little more bitter and difficult now. You used to be content being a Medicine Cat apprentice." content. I was Content being a Medicine Cat apprentice. That was before I knew what I wanted. I wanted the power in the Black Mark.

It Pulsed. The Black Mark Pulsed a gentle warm glow through my body. I felt it Pulse again, and more of the warm glow rippled to the end of my tail to the tip of my nose. It Pulsed again, and my paws grew warm and energy-filled, as if they could run a mile through the snow. I looked at the three high-ranking cats and smiled.

"The Gathering's tonight." I meowed coolly. They all knew that. The Island would be filled with cats of all Clans and the Leaders would all be there, a perfect time to announce when that I was going to be a Warrior Apprentice. Runningstar nodded to Grayflower, who dropped her head in dissapointment, "I know what I want now." I meowed quietly. And I did.

As I turned to the apprentice den again, the Black Mark Pulsed again and again, warming my body. I felt the emptiness in my heart yern for something to fill it. Something to drive away the loneliness of not being filled to the brim and over. The Black Mark, which Pulsed and Pulsed and Pulsed, had something that could fill it up. Power. Ambition. Strenghth.

I wanted it all, I wanted every drop of the power that was in it, and every morsal that was left. It would spill over my heart and flood my body, giving the upmost contentness. I scratched at my nest and curled up in it, falling asleep.

And in my dreams, I met myself.

* * *

**0.o cliffie... I gotta good feeling about this... o.0**

**ANYWAY, you pick the third cats' POV should it be...**

**A. Grayflower**

**B. Sinewpaw**

**C. Sparklepaw**

**D. Birchclaw**

**E. Other (and name him/her)**

**F. None, keep it how it is**


	4. Sparklepaw and the Muddy Battle

**. I'm so happy and I dont even know why, 'cause not many people reveiw my story. REVEIW OR DIE! T.T that's a weird request. But here! The twovotes in the poll, Sinewpaw or Runningstar! Pick one!**

* * *

Flightpaw

I was floating in a gray mist, and then there was earth beneath my paws. The Black Mark was gone now, I twisted around and looked for the mark that would fill me with power and it was no where to be seen. I looked around, it was a cave, bathed in blood red light. Hallows with shadows covering them were all around me, and I could see no way to get out. I felt different, scared, compared to this morning when I was angry and hostile for the others treating me like a kit. A pair of eyes peered out from each hallow around me, except two infront of me. Both were as black as night, so I couldn't see in. But I didn't have to, he came to me.

The Black Cat came out of his hallow, ice-blue eyes gleaming like diamonds. He looked everything like the first dream I had of him, smaller then me, with white tingles around his muzzle, and ice-blue eyes. His claws were unsheathed, and I saw that they were long and twice as vicious-looking as normal. His tail twitched and a black shadow crept over to him, with closer inspection I saw it was a shadow of a cat, about a pawprint high with dark blue eyes and midnight-colored fur. It was the Black Mark. With a pounce it landed on my shoulder, and seering pain ripped through me again, leaving the windmill-like mark on my shoulder. I crumpled to the ground, closing one eye and squinting through the other in pain, trembling slightly but doing my best to be brave.

"What is this?" I hissed at him, I didn't want the pain anymore, I didn't want the cold hatred and hostility that the Black mark contained. I wanted to be free of him, but he had marked me with the Pulsing Black Mark, which gave me warm power and energy to battle a thousand leaders, "Let me go!" I snarled, the Black Cat smirked and the hallow behind him lit with the eerie red light, casting a strange shadow of the cat inside.

She was black, just like me, and about the same size, perhaps a little larger. Her face stared at the ground, and her paws were small, long tail curled around them. Without looking up she walked forward and sat a little bit behind the Black Cat, small paws togeather, tail curled around them, head down like she was being punished. I stared at her, there was something farmiliar about her.

"The question is, who are you?" whispered the Black Cat. The words of the first dream streamed back at me as I remembered the chilling prophacy. At once the other cats slipped out of their hallows, there was a dark gray cat with burning red eyes, the fire-colored cat with black shadows swirling around him. A huge bat, perhaps larger then a cat, his eyes were white with blindness. A black and white tabby with three long legs - the last was missing. "Look around you, these are the spirits of all the cats who disobayed their leaders, ancestors, and betrayers. Scarlet, Phatasma, Catbird, and Fang Three-Legs. This is what you will come to be!" I looked around the clearing, terrified.

"No." I mewed, backing up, eyes watering, "No, I won't be this!" How did the Black Cat know of my dreams and ambitions? The Black Mark throbbed painfully now, making moving difficult. But I managed to get past the firey cat Phatasma and Catbird, Phatasma with his creepy burnning eyes and Catbird snapping at me with his foxlike snout. Now the cat next to the Black Cat looked up, and I stumbled backwards in awe. It was me!

I recognised the face and the dark blue eyes first, and then I put it togeather. This was me, about a moon older then I was and jet-black. She had the same small paws and long tail that I had, but this was different, she carried herself in the most pride I had ever seen. She didn't waver as she got up and padded closer to me. I saw on her shoulder that the Black Mark had turned white, standing out like snow on her black pelt, in the same windmill shape. She padded closed to me, and I could smell the same scent that I carried on my pelt.

"In a moon the time will be right, and the Lord of Darkness will return to the world to take revenge on the one cat who cause him so much greif." The mirror-self meowed in a ghoasty tone. I trembled and struggled to meet the Mirrior-Me and her icey gaze, "When the Moon is above the Great Oak, and the sun meets it halfway, the blood will be spilt with terror, and the spirit will be released. Two spirits become one, to live under the sun, and to kill the chosen sacrafice."

"I'm not killing anyone!" I snarled at the Mirror-Me, I wouldn't! Never! I was fine the way I was and didn't need to kill to prove I would be a great warrior! But the Mirror-Me looked down and brought her face close to mine. I was still shivering in pain now, the Black Mark not leaking power and strenght to me, but instead stabbing my heart with pain, sending icy shivers down my spine and making my fur prickle. She breathed in my face and smiled before touching noses.

At once I saw what she saw. We were standing in a clearing, trembling. Blood strain my claws and dripped down my mouth. Where were we? I looked around, it looked like ThunderClan territory. I had taken the body of the Mirror-Me, and the blood was hardly visible as it ran down my neck and down my front legs. The bracken infront of us wavered, and I felt anger and pride ripple through my body. I had killed once, I could kill again! My body tensed and prepared to leap, when I recognised the cat pushing through the bracken.

"Sinewpaw!" I hissed.

Blood. Why was there so much blood? I was swimming in Sinewpaws' blood, which drenched my fur as I tore away at his throat, where life itself bubbled closest to the surface and the heartbeat lead to the head. I had killed Sinewpaw in my dreams. I watched as he collapsed infront of me and I backed up laughing. I opened my mouth and screamed. I didn't want to kill, I didn't want to be a murderer, I wanted to be a warrior and live with Sinewpaw. But how could I when I was going to kill him?

"Let me go!" I screeched,the Mirror-Me stopped and began to tremble as I fought back, "I dont want to kill, I don't want power!" The words came out of her mouth as I gained control of our body for a moment. I lifted my paw and bit into it as hard as I could. Then, with a jerk and a tumble I woke in the apprentice den. It was early morning, Sinewpaw was twitching in his sleep. Sparklepaw was at the Gathering. The Black Mark throbbed mercilessly on my shoulder I paid no attention to it.

In a moon that _thing_ would be let loose, and I would be it. I would kill and ThunderClan cat _and_ Sinewpaw. And then what? The red moon. In a moon, when there's a Gathering and the moon turned red, I would unleash the Mirror-Me. The cats from the Gathering began to slip back into the dens, Sparklepaw, looking dead on her paws, padded in and flopped down next to me. The Gathering had lasted very long this night, and for a while I wondered why. But Sparklepaw was in no condition to answer me, and instead she fell asleep.

The last traces of moonlight vanished from the sky as the moon peaked over the mountains where our ancestors traveled over to find a new home. The lake in the distances shimmered with it's golden light, but in my tired and weary light, it looked as if the lake were filled with blood. Sinewpaw began to stir as I hunched over in the corner and began to give myself a wash. I felt him glance my way and ignored him as best I could, but it proved to be next to impossible. As I twisted around to lick my back, I came across the Black mark, which Pulsed with rage and pain.

I let out a small, muted gasp as I saw what had happened to the Black Mark overnight.

It had grown.

I let out a squeak and tumbled over, landing on Sinewpaw and jerking him awake. The golden and brown tom let out a yowl and awoke Sparklepaw, who hissed and slashed at the nearest cat possible, blinded by fur and confusion, she scored her claws down my flank. Pain seared through me from both the Black Mark and the wound. Raw anger pulsed through my veins and I slashed at Sparklepaws' face, long claw marks foing down the front of her face. Comepletely shocked by the attack my fellow apprentice tumbled over into Sinewpaw, who squeaked and flipped over, panting.

Sparklepaw got up and shook blood from her eyes. She was a pretty she-cat, thin boned, but strong nontheless and sleek. The claw marks I gave her would certainly leave a mark. They stopped bleeding quickly, only staining her face fur, which would soon grow away with the next shedding season. Sparklepaw was enraged, her green eyes flashed hatredly as she snarled. I had never liked Sparklepaw, she had constantly acted as if she were twice as good as I was. I knew I was a Medicine Cat apprentice but I could still fight, and I often argued with her.

Now there was no freindship in Sparklepaws' eyes as she lunged towards me, her teeth were shorter then the average WindClan cats', but her claws were longer. Much longer. So much longer I was scared to get near them and close contact. So i dodged her blow and leapt outside. At once I knew this was a tactical error. Our den, besides the nursery, elders, and leader den, was the most sheltered. Rain hardly dripped through, let alone got out nests' wet, but outside it was storming, and the ground in the clearing was muddy and slick. At once I slid backwards, hardly managing to stay upright.

Sparklepaw chased after me, eyes glaring and hissing like a feirceLeopardClan warrior. The Black Mark Pulsed angrily, and I winced as the pain cut through me. She too slid in the mud, and it covered both of our pelts like honey.Water dripped down into my eyes, and I blinked it away. Sparklepaw was the first to charge, slipping on the muddy ground to increase her speed, she tried to push me over on my shoulder and get her long claws into my belly. But she miscalculated the slickness of the mud and whisked by, letting me drag my claws down her side. The Black Mark Pulsed harder, shooting pain down my veins and next to my heart, where it ate away at it like acid.Once again, blinded by rage, she spun and ran back to me, ignoring the mud she slashed at my face and I felt them whisk close to my nose.

With a hiss of satisfaction i ducked under her paws and lunged forward to her chest. But Sparklepaw was less of an idiot that I thought. She brought her paws down and dug her long claws into my back, hissing with satisfaction. But I thrust up as hard as I could, trying to fling her off. She loosened her grip and I twisted around, yowling. By now Sinewpaw had scrambled outside and let out yowls of help. Runningstar was padding wearily out of his den, shaking sleep from his eyes, as was Birchclaw. Creamdrop the queen and her three kits, Brightkit, Joykit, and Sloshkit, stumbled out of the nursery, but were soon herded back inside by a white elder, Nightfoot.

Now Sparklepaw had released her grip and tried to get a tighter one on my shoulders, so she could bite into my neck. But instead a warrior-Rainheart-ran forward and barreled into her side, trying to knock us apart. I wouldn't let that happen though. I pushed Rainheart aside and lunged towards Sparklepaw again. My back paws slipped in the earth and the Black Mark sent non-stop pain through my veins, chewing holes in my empty heart.

Sparklepaw saw her chance. As Runningstar began taking in what he was seeing, and Birchclaw began shouting at us to stop, she leapt and smashed my face into the mud, not letting go.

* * *

**Cuh-lif-fee!**

**Omg i'm so happy this is going so well.**

**And for the first time, I ask three reveiws for the next chapter!**

**Go on, reveiw!**

**Vote in the poll, Sinewpaw or Runningstar!**

**0.o I luv this story so much I'm gonna add all twists and turns to it, and the last night will be so... fun (evil grin)**

**And guess what happens next!**


	5. Live Like a Real Cat

So... Flightpaw is in a battle with Sparklepaw, and Sinewpaw is the chosen cat! He gets his first role in this one! This chappie is a little shorter then the rest because it has less things going on in it, but it has a little bit of Flightpaws past in it of joining the Clan. Enjoy! Three reveiws!

* * *

Flightpaw

I felt nothing but cool peace as Sparklepaw tightened her grip of the back of my neck and the mud squished around my face, closing my eyes and clogging my nose. For a moment I felt nothing, falling in empty blackness, and feeling cats pound around me and Sparklepaw. Then, as my heartbeat pulsed again, it had a shadow. The Black Mark let loose a little ripple of red-hot pain to get attention before pulsing. My heart had never been emptier in the mud, and I quietly listened to the pulse.

**You're pathetic** he meowed in my ear. A voice of a she-cat mingled with his own, and I realized it to be my own. So the Mirror-Me was with him and talking,** Are you going to be killed be Sparklepaw, my chosen? **I thought nothing, and didn't respond even to the red-hot pain ripple again.

**We can give you power that you would think wasn't possible,**he whispered back. I felt a sudden lust for it. If I was going to die, I was going to die with my heart full and proud** Open your heart to us, my chosen.** Open my heart to them? All this time I had been striving against them, trying to subdue them and the Black Mark and fight back to win, to not let the into my heart and cause anger and snaps. But with that came power. Would I really trade of my emotions for power? **Open your heart to the power. **Did they really want me to change, so that I can survive?the whispered back. I felt a sudden lust for it. If I was going to die, I was going to die with my heart full and proud . Open my heart to them? **Open, my chosen, open. **All this time I had been striving against them, trying to subdue them and the Black Mark and fight back to win, to not let the into my heart and cause anger and snaps. But with that came power. Would I really trade of my emotions for power? Did they really want me to change, so that I can survive? 

**Open your heart to us, and you can live like a real cat live like a real cat.** I was a real cat, but I wasn't a _Clan_ cat. I was a _rouge_ cat. A _rouge_ cat who everyone hated because she join the other _Clan_ cats in WindClan, who never got to go to a Gathering because she wasn't Clanborn. **Live like a real cat, just for once.**

**Live like a real cat for once.** I loved that. As the darkness swarmed around me, I felt the familiar sense of power in the Black Mark, bubbling with power. Power I could gain if I let it into my heart, and let the Black Cat have me. Power I wanted, to kill Sparklepaw with. Power that would let me live.

And so I opened my heart to the Black Mark, calling on the glorious power that flowed through it. The Black Mark brimmed for a second before a small trickle of the power dripped down to my heart, making it surprisingly full** Perhaps this small bit of power will show you what it is like to live**. Then the darkness around me grew lighter and lighter, soon it was blinding my eyes with purity. Then it vanished back into the empty blackness, letting me float. All in that time the first cats were rushing at Sparklepaw, and I felt the blackness grow blacker.

**It is time, time for you to live as a realcat.**

Sinewpaw

As soon as I stumbled out of the den, Flightpaw was wrestling with my sister, who had her claws in her gray, sleek back. Nightfoot hissed at Creamdrop, Sloshkit, Joykit, and Brightkit, sending them back into the nursery. After a few heartbeat, however, Creamdrop pushed back outside without her kits. Rainheart ran at Sparklepaw and shoved into her, trying to sperate the two furious she-cats.

Sparklepaw and Flightpaw had never been true friends, ever since Flightpaw joined she had been faster, smarter, and more skilled then my sister. Perhaps it was because of her harsh living conditions. When she first arrived, she was dragged in as a kit about four moons old, it took two senior warriors to pull her into the middle of the camp and hold her down. Then she had been ragged and even more wild-looking then ourselves. She hissed and spat like a tortured cat, and clawed one cat badly across the face, cutting off his ear. He retired soon after and changed his name to Lostear.

Even when she was held before she was a apprentice, I had always had a soft spot for Flightpaw. She was terrified of the other cats around her, her fear-scent stung the air in her den, but she acted as if there were no trace of fear in her body, constantly snarling and slashing at the other cats who got near her. For a while the only one who could get a tail-length close to her was Grayflower, so it was no wonder she was chosen as a Medicine Cat apprentice. After all, none of the other Clans could argue when Lostear brought up the fact that RiverClan had once had a rouge-born Medicine Cat.

When Flightpaw turned into an apprentice she had settled down rapidly and soon became on the favorite apprentices. For a while I thought a lot about her, until on day I realized something, she was a Medicine Cat Apprentice, bound forever not to have kits. We could never be together. But I decided to make the best of it as be as close as the Clan ways would let us be. Sparklepaw, however, didn't like this. She knew I loved Flightpaw, and hated it, mostly because she hated Flightpaw because she was rouge.

But none of this mattered as I watched Sparkepaw leap at Flightpaw and smash her face into the mud. For a heartbeat no body moved, my body was paralyzed as Sparklepaw laughed at her most hated cat dying from her long, vicious claws. Rainheart spun around and lunged back towards Sparklepaw, her paws thumping hard on the ground and the mud slick, sliding her slightly in different directions. Grayflower screamed and darted forward, Birchclaw right next to her, and then closely fallowed by Burlfur and Barkfur.

Then suddenly everyone froze about a tail-length away. Flightpaws' shoulder twitched, right on the Black Mark when had shown a few nights ago. It twitched again, and then grew slightly smaller. Ever cat in the clearing watched as Flightpaw slowly and shakily drew her paws into her sides, near death. But then, like an explosion of energy, Flightpaw shot up, twisting to throw Sparklepaw into Barkfur. The other warriors back away as the rouge shook mud from her face and puffed it from her nose before spinning to face Sparklepaw.

"Sparklepaw, what were you doing, smashing my face into the mud like that?" she hissed in icy sweetness. Sparklepaw pushed Barkfur and Burlfur aside and hissed at Flightpaw, challenging her. One of Flightpaws' eyes was plastered closed from the mud, but she didn't bother opening it. Instead she leapt forward towards Sparklepaw, claws unsheathed.

Sparklepaw drew a hasty defense as Flightpaw attacked like a chain of light, slashing at her back legs before rolling over her back and scoring her claws down the opposite shoulder. Sparklepaw spun around to face air as Flightpaw dodged away and attacked her other side. Sparklepaw spun around and stood, flabbergasted at the speed of Flightpaws' attacks. To her mistake she didn't attack, and that was all Flightpaw needed. With a hiss she smashed her claws into the side of Sparklepaws' head, throwing her sideways into the mud a little less then a foxlength away.

Sparklepaw groaned and tried in vain to get to her paws. Rain pattered down from above, washing mud off of all the cats including Flightpaw. She stared at Sparklepaw, and twitched her eye when a raindrop hit it, washing off the mud. I watched the Black Mark carefully, and saw it grow back to it's real size and slightly larger. Flightpaw opened her eye and looked around, a shivered ran down the spin of every cat in the clearing.

"Beautiful." whispered Flightpaw, her eyes glowing like stars and fire, "Finally, I feel the power." She smiled as she cast her frosty glare around the camp, before padding siletly away to the apprentice den, trendils of what looked like mist rising from her body. As she passed by me, I could feel an intense heat, like a fever, glowing from her, every drop of rain that hit her eventually burned into steam, which made it look as if she was surrounded in mist. She smiled as she passed me and whispered so quietly i could barely hear, "Finally I live as a real cat."

Before she entered the apprentice den again, she turned and looked back to Sparklepaw, who had lifted her head from the mud and was staring at her foe. A shiver ran down the spine of every cat in the Clan once again and FLightpaw turned away as Sparklepaw collapsed back into the mud, a chill cold rippled through the clearing as we reilized what had happened to Flightpaws' eye.

It had turned crystal blue.

* * *

Uh-huh. I wanted that color today when we went to buy contacts but my MOM said no... dang. But, i guess I'll have to live with that... remember, three reveiws! 


	6. Pain and Siblings

The next three days crept by as slow as a tortoise. Sparklepaw was sent to Grayflowers den to heal in both body and mind, her scuffle with Flightpaw had shaken her up quiet a bit. Flightpaw learned the basics of fighting with her new mentor, Rainheart, and I went on hunting and border patrols with Frostpelt and others.

Flightpaw, I had to admit, was much like her name, strong and swift. She had the grace of an eagle soaring, and the power of one too when she set her mind to it, but she tended to be secluded and kept to herself more then ever. Every once in a while when we hunted together, she would wince in pain and mutter some curse or hiss and twitch her shoulder in pain.

Ever night, I noticed, the Black Mark on her shoulder grew larger and larger; soon it stretched down from her shoulder to her paw and over her back to the top of the other shoulder. Her eye which had turned crystal blue had darkened back to their strange dark blue shade, unreadable.

On the forth night I was awakened by Flightpaw mewing in her sleep, flipping over and over on her side of the den. It was a surprisingly cold night, and the wind whistled through the thorns around us. Flightpaws eyes were twitching, and her ears were as well, swirling around and catching the sounds of her dreams. She unsheathed her claws and dug then into the ground before letting out a low yowl.

Finally I could hold back no longer, I lunged forward and shook Flightpaw roughly, shaking her from her nightmare, where she woke panting and crying. She crumpled to the ground right in front of me and buried her face in my shoulder, crying uncontrollably and trembling. Wind whistled softly around us and I hesitated for a moment before gently licking her ear.

"I'm sorry, Sinewpaw." She whispered, I didn't know what she was talking about but I listened anyway, she seemed to distraught now, so different and so helpless. Something was taking over Flightpaw, and if it wasn't stopped she would be gone forever, "I'm so sorry."

The Black Cat

"I've sent a dream to Shark." growled a voice behind me as I stared into the black pool that showed my Chosen crying. All around me the hallow was bathed in silver light, holly bushes lining the top of it, where dark cats stalked around and through. The picture in the black pool shifted to three cats, on was sleeping, while two were murmuring to each other quietly.

Without turning I knew who it was, Shadow. She was a strong she-cat, and hopelessly weak. I didn't know how she survived so long to find bog and have two kits with her sister, Shade, but she did, and became extremely protective of Flightpaw. Shark was on of her sons, a strong, healthy cat who would hade made a good Chosen, but instead, Flightpaw could infiltrate the clan ways and get more training and power from her. Already I was influencing her, making her quiet, withdrawn, snappy.

But this act of pain I had seen in the pool after the newest dream I had given her was almost as pathetic as Shadow was. And the black she-cat behind me lifted her head smugly, smiling.

"I told him to kidnap Flightpaw and take her as far away from the Clans as he could." She meowed proudly. A shiver ran up my spine, if Flightpaw was farther from the source where I was controlling the Black Mark, the weaker it would become, and I could no longer take over her body. Shadow had thought it out carefully, and no I had to counter that.

"I'll send him a dream later on." I meowed quietly, staring into the pool, not acknowledging that Shadow was there, "Flightpaw is showing weakness, and only pain can harder her heart enough for me to catch it and slip inside. I have twenty-five days left, Shadow. Twenty-four tomorrow, that's more then enough time to prepare her for me."

Shadow flustered behind me, "you can't take Flightpaw, you can't! I'll never let you near her or let the Black Mark control her. She will not be your reincarnation!"

Rage pulsed through me and I felt it ripple through the connection to Flightpaw, making her wince in pain. I spun around to Shadow, blue eyes flaming like comets. She shrank back under may gaze and I bared my teeth in a snarl, "It's been twenty generations, Shadow, since I last saw his face. I remember the triumph in his eyes as he bit into my neck and took my life were all cats' life bubbles closest. I remember the cry of pain her yowled as I took his first life, and how he howled as I nearly killed his nephew. I remember the damned she-cat he called his mate, and that scrawny brown tom he called a friend. His big white tom who my deputy killed with his own claws, and the yowl of pride he gave when I closed my eyes forever.

"I lived for ten generations here, waiting for the tenth where I could return and kill his only descendant. But I was stopped by Heronwing and his damned mate Lakefrost before I could kill Whitestream. Now, the time's right, this year I had grown ever more powerful thanks to the lunar eclipse. And Firestars' descendant is still around. Shallowpelt if I'm not mistaken. My revenge is definite!"

"And what about Sinewpaw?" meowed Shadow unexpectedly, I felt hate boil in me, which ripped over to Flightpaw and reacted in pain, "Sinewpaw can save her, just like how Lakefrost did."

I smiled coldly, "That's what Shark is for."

Sinewpaw

It was midnight when Flightpaw finally cried her to sleep, and I slipped out of the den. The clearing was cold and windy, ruffling my wind-blown fur and sending a shiver down my spine. I padded quietly out of camp, just to the edge of the moor where I sat and licked myself clean of Flightpaws' salty tears.

I still didn't know what was going on between me and her, and her and the Black Mark, and how she woke crying and apologizing to me and her nightmares. She seemed like she was in pain, ever move she word she spoke was influenced by someone else, someone far away. In the dark blue sky, the stars shown down on me, along with the quarter moon, turning everything, including my fur, silver.

All of the sudden, as I sat there, admiring the night and it's beauty, the light reflecting off the lake to a pool of silver, a paw hit me on my ear, claws unsheathed. The claws didn't do much damage, but I was hit with such force that I saw lights for a moment as my ear bled sluggishly. Before the ambusher could attack again, I ducked and rolled down the moor.

The other cat cursed and leapt after me, and before I knew it, a second cat got his teeth into my scruff and was hauling me away from the camp. The first cat, a very dark gray tom, growl a little to the second cat, a lighter tom, but said nothing. He paused, and released me from his mouth, and I knew better then to run from these two rouges.

The first tom with so large I had trouble believing he was a cat. He was easily twice the size of one of the ThunderClan elders who I met at the gathering – Freightstep. His shoulders were broad and pure flexing, taunt muscle. His claws were extremely long and reinforced with fox teeth, and his head was broad, with sharp amber eyes.

The second tom was remarkably smaller then the first, he was skinny but sleek and lean, long legs with short claws wore down from many leagues of running in his short lifetime. His teeth were unusually long, stretching down about a pawlength from his lips.

"If you are intelligent," Growled the larger of the two, "I wouldn't make a noise. We were sent here to fetch you."

"But who are you?" I hissed back, gray fur fluffed up in anger.

"I am Shark, and that is Flash." Growled the big tom, Shark, "We are Flightpaws brother and cousin."


	7. History

I was awakened by Sparklepaw, shaking my shoulder roughly and hissing in my ear. I managed to push her off and shake sleep from my eyes, when I noticed that Birchclaw and Frostpelt were with her, both looking very concerned. I could smell Sparklepaws' fear-scent, but couldn't see any signs of attacks or other cats anywhere.

"What is it?" I finally meowed, licking my paw and whipping it across my ear slowly. Sparklepaw nodded and took a step back. Birchclaw replaced her, his amber eyes buried in confusion and worry.

"Flightpaw, we can't find Sinewpaw. He was gone when we woke up, and you were the only one in the den with him." He meowed finally. I blinked. Sinewpaw was missing? I thought back, at about Moonhigh he woke me up from my dream, and then I fell asleep again. He would have left at about midnight then if he ran away or a little later if he had been taken.

"He was with me last night." I murmured finally, "At about midnight I saw him before I fell asleep again…" Sparklepaws eyes flashed in annoyance at me for a second before she jerked her head away and pouted furiously. I snickered inwardly, Sparklepaw was jealous of her brother.

Birchclaw nodded to Frostpelt, "Take Flightpaw and Sparklepaw and fallow Sinewpaws' scent." He meowed, "Whether he ran away or was taken, we have to get him back." Frostpelt nodded slowly and Sparklepaw and I got to our paws and fallowed him. Frostpelt pushed out of the den before us, and Sparklepaw suddenly took a quick step forward and blocked my path out.

"You and Sinewpaw?" she hissed bitterly, "I can't believe my brother, falling in love with my attacker. Just who do you think you are, rouge?" I narrowed my eyes. Rouge indeed!

"Flightpaw, apprentice of WindClan." I growled proudly back, Sparklepaw flattened her ears onto her head, "And I intend to find my friend." And with that I shoved Sparklepaw aside and padded out into the clearing.

Sinewpaw

I fallowed Shark and Flash until we got to the lake, where we turned towards the island. But instead of going to the island, we slipped into the marsh next to it and continued in a ways, until we came to a small reed clearing with relatively dry ground.

In the clearing, curled nose to tail, was an old-looking dark brown tom, grumbling in his sleep. He lifted his head when we entered and sat up abruptly. He had a thick body, but not nearly as thick as Shark, and long legs, but not nearly as long as Flashes. His eyes were an amber-green, and drooped slightly, but he held himself with an air of pride, like a barrier against power that would bring him down.

"Shark, I see you have succeeded in your mission from Our Father." Meowed the old tom in a raspy way. Shark nodded and sat down, as did Flash, and I slowly lowered myself onto the ground as well. "Very well, I will tell him why he has come.

"You cat, many years ago, or approximately 20 generations ago, your ancestors lived in a different place far from here, over the mountains and nestled into a little forest unlike ours, and only a few rivers to separate boundaries. One season, a group of cats came from the Twolegplace, as you call it, and decided to take over the forest. Their leader was a cat named Scourge."

I felt a shiver run up my spine, I had heard of Scourge from the elders, they described him as a hulking brute, about as large as a badger, with teeth like Twoleg knives, and claws that could tear through wood. He had single-handedly killed the great Firestar once before he failed and his reign ended. I nodded for more information slowly.

"Scourge had one daughter, Scorn, who ran away before the battle to here. Here she met with a rouge cat, Smokey, and had and kit with him, Flicker. A few generations later, your ancestors came here and settled, and with them came rouge cats, who kept Scourges bloodline alive. A few generations after Flicker, one rouge was taken into the Clan, Heron, and became Heronwing. One night he went through an amazing transformation, and became known as the Chosen One."

He paused and I gulped, I had herd of Heronwing as well, he was said to be the shadow of Scourge, just as large and as powerful. It would be hard to beat him in battle. The brown cat took a breath and continued.

"A moon later, Scourge was reborn for a night, and he stalked the land to find and kill the kin of the cat who killed him, Firestar. However, he never got the chance, because Heronwings mate, Lakefrost, stopped him and vanquished the plot to wipe out Firestars' blood from the Clans. This was ten generations after the fall of Scourge."

I blinked, I had heard Heronwing died after that part, but I never heard he was Scourge reborn. Shortly after it was said Lakefrost died from a broken heart. They lived together in StarClan now, and watched over the lake during winter.

"And now we have three cats who could be the Chosen One." Meowed the dark brown tom slowly. I pricked my ears, _three?_ "Shark, Flash, and Flightpaw." Meowed the brown tom slowly, "through me the nineteenth generation was able to make two of the three, Shark and Flightpaw, while my brother and Flightpaws mothers sister had Flash. We were all surprised when Shark wasn't chosen; he is by far the most powerful cat ever lived. But it was all made clear when we saw Flightpaw after she joined your Clan."

I tilted my head to one side. Why would Flightpaw be chosen? She was the smallest cat in the clan next to the kits! And her claws weren't long and could slash through trees, and her teeth were just right for her mouth. "But…" I meowed slowly, "From what I've heard, Scourge was the most powerful cat that lived."

The brown tom nodded, "He was. Despite many legends and thoughts, Scourge was actually the smallest cat in his clan next to the kits. He had short claws, and reinforced them with dog teeth, and his teeth were just normal for his mouth. He was pitch-black, and had ice-blue eyes. In other words, Flightpaw is his shadow, just like how Heronwing was."

I blinked, "So… what'll happen if Scourge is reborn again?" I meowed quietly. Now Shark got up and talked.

"He will be twice as powerful." Meowed the huge tom, "The Black Mark is set to release him on the night of the full moon, where he knows Firestars' descendants will be. Flightpaw is a very skilled apprentice; he will harness her power along with his own and create a powerful new body. Then he will capture Flightpaws mind and take control. And all of his power will be tripled because of the lunar eclipse."

"And how do we save her?" I meowed slowly again.

Shark narrowed his eyes, "One a mind has been chained, there is almost no turning back. Meaning, once Scourge is forced out, Flightpaw, if she can't get free soon enough or help in the fight, will die."


	8. The Return of Sinewpaw

Sinewpaw

And with that the dark brown tom glanced at the sky, the sun was now high overhead, sunhigh, the hotest part of the day. I had been away from WindClan for too long. Flash and the brown tom seemed to notice this and Flash turned to me, eyes sparkled with freindliness that reminded me of Flightpaw or of Rainheart. He got to his paws and flicked his tail at me, slowly I too got up and glanced around.

"It's about time you got to your Clan." he meowed, "I'll escort you as far as I can into your territory but once I'm spotted i must leave." I nodded and the two of us slipped out of the clearing back into the marsh. I must say, Flash was a powerful cat for his lean and lanky size. He had no trouble sloshing through the deep mud puddles that I had almost to swim across, and had ease leaping over fallen trees. He was truely a fast cat, his thoughts were quickly formed and spoken, edited as they passed through his mouth to make him almost wise-sounding.His eyes were sharp and flickered around us as if to watch for danger, and when he would scense something he would freeze and only then would he be perfectly still until he relized it was something else and continued walking.

As we reached the WindClan border, i decided to start a conversation with the handsomely built tom. So i came to the first thing that came to mind - do you like to run?

"Like to run?" he meowed, chuckling, "I love to! To feel the exileration of the hunt and to feel as though no one can catch you. Too hear the roar of the wind in your ears as your pads thud on the turf and stir the dust beneath you. Too leap across gullies and gorges with the risk of dying just to test your strength. To dart to the top of the highest cliff and jump down as fast as you can to feel the soar in your heart and the feeling as you brush past danger. But with all of that, it comes with a price." Flash stopped infront of me and turned around, "You can pull a muscle, like i've done in my shoulder, if you run to long and too fast, or sprain your paw, I've done that as well. It wears down your claws when you dig them into the ground to be stable, the noise is deafening, and worst of all, you can trip and fall." I stared at him, "To fall and trip is a runners greatest embaressment. That is why you must watch and know where you're running. and to fall can dislocate your paw or shoulder, so you cannot run for many days until the pain has gone." He turned around and continued walking.

"Shark has it different." meowed Flash, "He love the fight, to charge into battle bellowing and to throw and slash at opponents, staining the ground and his pelt with their blood. To fight over the last scrap of prey in the heap, to challenge other rogues for territory in the marsh. But most of them feel intimidated enought my his looks. Shark was born much unlike that. His teeth were normal and average just like any other cats. His claws are what inspired him to be a fighter. He found some bone and after many moons of rubbing, made them into identical fangs, which are the fangs you see in his mouth today. He left them in so long he can't take them out, so everyone thinks they're real. He trained his body up much like me, running, and also fighting Uncle Bog, the brown cat back there. He used to go into the marsh and fall into the stickiest mud dip he could find, and then force himself to get out, he would do it over and over again. Swimming in the lake as well. As night He would swim out to the island and back without stopping, perhaps six or seven times."

Flash froze and looked around, a scent carried WindClan upwind. A moment later three cats appeared on the horizon. Flash turned to me, nodded once, and then spun and raced away. Before i knew it the smart, touching tom was a blur by the marsh and has vanished competly into it. The rogues that lived in the marsh had so much to live for, and so little to loose at the same time. Was that the way all rogues lived? I pushed the thought out of my mind as i looked back to the hill, I couldn't recognise the cats from here, so i hurried forward to meet them.

Flightpaw

The Back Mark was extremly painful as we walked down the moor. Every now and then i would bite my tounge not to yowl in pain as anger hissed through the Black Mark. Frostpelt had been leading, fallowing the scent without even having to lower his head. I stopped and turned to lick my shoulder when i got the first whiff of the cats who had been with Sinewpaw. I tensed, Shark and Flash. Flustering for a moment, i considered turning back to the camp and risking questions then fallow my brother and cousin into my old home. Sparklepaw saw my fluster and pounced a comment on it.

"Aw, if liddle Flightpaw scared of some big rogueys?" she snickered. I growled and pressed forward, rougly shouldering her aside, no peabrained moron of a cat would get to me. Sparklepaw flattened her ears onto her head and then pricked her ears, "Oh! It's Sinewpaw!" Frostpelt took his eyes off a sparrow taking flight not far away to see Sinewpaws lean shape with another dark gray cat - Shark or Flash. But the other cat turned and left so fast i knew at once it was Flash, he was the fastest cat alive. Sinewpaw raced towards us, and reached us panting.

"Where were you?" demanded Frostpelt, narrowing his eyes. Sinewpaw took a deep breath and sighed, "They told me that they're father wanted to tell me something, so i went with them."

Frostpelt growled darkly, "Why did you even return?" he hissed, "Going off with a rogue! Unbeleiveable! I can't beleive my apprentice would do something so dumb! Do you reilize they could have killed you?" Sinewpaw flinched backwards at his mentors icy tone, "You'll be punished for this, Sinewpaw. You'll sleep outside of the camp tonight, and care for Creamdrop and the elders until three sunrises from now, each time you will sleep outside of the camp." Sinewpaw flattened his ears onto his head but said nothing and lowered his head quietly. frostpelt spun around and marched back to the camp. I fell into step beside Sinewpaw.

"What were you doing you peabrain!" i spat, "Shark could have torn you to bits and scattered your entrails around the Great Oak for half a mousetail! Bog could have tortured you until you lost your mind, and Flash could had drowned you in the mud pools!" Sinewpaw said nothing but curled his lip.

"You never told me you were Scourges decendant."

I didn't know what to say. Slowly, I turned my head away from Sinewpaw, who was fuming and quickened his strides to pass me and walk next to Sparklepaw. I slowed my pace, Sinewpaw was mad at me, my only freind in the world. I dropped farther and farther back until i could see them in the distance, crossing over moors while i was on top of the one right before it. I glanced behind my shoulder, and saw Flash at the edge of the marsh looking at me, before turning and padding into the mud. We pushed through a clump of gorse nearby, I kept snagging my fur on the prickly bush, and I swore I saw two brillient green eyes staring at me before a ginger shape bounded away and I was knocked flat. Frostpelt, Sparklepaw, and Sinewpaw many foxlenghts infront of me, did not hear me.

**---------------------------------**

**Yup, I'm thinking of making Sinewpaw a warrior soon, got any ideas? So far I'm thinking either**

**Sinewpelt**

**Sinewleg**

**or **

**Sinewclaw**

**Give me more ideas if you have any!**


	9. Envy, Lust, Hatred, Jealousy, and Pride

Sinewpaw

Sparklepaw was the first to notice Flightpaw was missing. We had just passed over a moor in front of gorse tangle when she looked behind and didn't see her emerge. Sparklepaw paused and stared at the gorse, Frostpelt stopped to wait for her while I sat and licked my paw, drawing it over my ear a few times. When Flightpaw still didn't emerge, Frostpelt lead the way back to the gorse.

As we padded through, searching for her, a foul scent caught my nose, like crowfood and badger. However, it had to be a cat, and I sniffed the ground more, it was rouge, and whoever it was there were four of them. Frostpelt had obviously smelt this as well and he charged out of the gorse tangle. Outside, four rouges, one ginger, two black, and one muddy brown, were dragging Flightpaw, limp as a dead cat, between them towards the marsh. A small wound was in the back of Flightpaws neck, where one rouge had knocked her out. At the sight of us, the ginger tom and a black she-cat broke away from Flightpaw, bristling.

"I believe that's our apprentice." growled Frostpelt, raising his head proudly. The ginger tom sneered as he looked at my mentor. Frostpelt was a naturally proud cat, both of his parents had died at the same time, when he was young, and his sister bullied him, eventually dying from a battle. He rose as a strong, able warrior in WindClan, respected by a great number of other cats in the Clans. But this rouge, skinny, ill-kept, and much smaller then him, seemed to have an aura of pride around himself, and where the two prides collided, tensions and anger rose.

"Get Flightpaw to the Wrath." snarled the ginger tom to the muddy brown tom and the other black she-cat. The black she-cat hissed, "We don't take orders from you, Hatred, Envy and I will stay here with you and Jealousy."

"This isn't time to argue, Lust!" snarled the ginger tom – Hatred, "Lies, Deceit, and Gossip are waiting for you at the horseplace, and the Wrath put me in charge of Flightpaws capture. Get her to him now before I finish you!" Lust narrowed her eyes and hissed back at him, but bent, and helped put Flightpaw on Envys back.

"Sometimes I wonder why I love you." hissed Lust to Hatred, who snickered, his green eyes flashing.

"Sometimes I wonder the same thing, doll." Lust tossed her sleek black head and raced off with Flightpaw and the brown cat Envy. Without a moments hesitation Hatred spun and lunged at Frostpelt, taking my mentor by surprise and tossing him aside like a ragdoll. Meanwhile Jealousy lunged forwards and batted Sparklepaw aside. I was able to dodge the blow to me in time as Sparklepaw tried to get her teeth in her shoulder.

But it was no use; this she-cat was extremely disciplined, she fought calmly and effectively, scratching and matching our blows with equal strength to keep her fit and ready. Frostpelt rolled with Hatred nearby, his teeth buried in the white warriors' scruff as the ginger tom raked his claws down his side again and again.

Jealousy snarled and grabbed Sparklepaw on the scruff before throwing her a good distance. I raced over to my sisters' side. She was panting, and blood dripped down from her mouth where she had bit her tongue. She spat in the grass and stared at Jealousy, who wasn't even panting.

"Go after Flightpaw." she whispered, I stared at her in shock and she batted me on the head like I was an idiot, "You love her, don't you! I can hold off this peabrain for a long while, and Hatred and Frostpelt and going nowhere. If you really love her, get going!" for so many moons I had thought my sister hated Flightpaw, but now she was telling me to go and save her. I paused for a moment and she hissed again, "I don't like her any more then Barkfur likes ThunderClan, Sinewpaw, but she's a _comrade_, and I'm not so low I'm going to let her die, and neither will you! Now scat before I tear off your ear!"

I knew she wasn't lying so I sprinted over the moor, fallowing the scent of Flightpaw and of the rouges Envy and Lust.

Flightpaw

When I woke up, I was in a rock crater about two foxlength in every direction and one deep. Around the edges, three cat guards sat, their backs away from me, all of them were white like stars. After a few heartbeats one of them turned and walked down to me, she had strange, milk-colored eyes. It took me a heartbeat to realize she was blind.

"My name is Amy." She meowed slowly, her white eyes twinkling coldly, "I am the second-in-command for the Wrath, our leader, and the commander of half the rouges. The Wrath said to tell you that he was arriving. Do not try to escape, your guards are highly trained rouges, masters of tracking, killing, and guarding, not to be trifled with. A third guard will be here soon with the Wrath, when you see him, I would advise your not to let your tongue flap freely unless you want your head cut off." He stood and turned. I saw my chance to hurt her and got up quickly, leaping for her back.

Amy spun with unimaginable speed. I was a tail-length away when she did, and Instead of her back I hit, I met her claws up and down my face three times before hitting the ground. I stood slowly, shaking blood from my eyes. Amy's pure white paws were now tipped in my blood, and yet she didn't see me, and had successfully countered my attack.

The pure white she-cat shook the drops from her paw and walked back up the crater, almost tripping in a crevice. For someone as blind as a bat and tripped in crevices, she was a highly skilled warrior. Once she had left, one guard, a tom with green eyes, looked back at me.

"You wouldn't want to mess around with Amy." He growled, "She's as fast as the Wrath, and the only reason she's not the leader here is because of her blindness. At the same time that could be a advantage, many cats underestimate her."

"Fib!" snapped the other guard, a she-cat with red eyes, "You know Amy instructed us not to talk to the prisoner. If you do again I'll have to report her to you. However…" the she-cat looked down at me as coldly as Amy, "I do not see why. My name is Pride, Flightpaw; there are many other cats here, perhaps as much as two Clans in your terms. The Wrath leads us with Amy at his side; and Deceit at hers. Help will never come; you are in the center of our camp."

Fib grunted and turned away, mutter how much he hated guard duty, and Pride stared at me a little longer, her red eyes reminding me of the lake, before turning back to her post and watching the sky.

Black Cat

I stared at thre silver pool a little longer, feeling my fur prickle as I saw Flightpaws' body running across the moor, carried by Envy and Lust. Not far behind her, Sinewpaw struggled to keep up, I wondered why he was doing it for a moment, until i reilized that he loved Flightpaw. I curled my lip, what good was love, when Flightpaw was going to me mine in a couple of days? Nothing, that's what it was, and I would make sure Shark killed Sinewpaw.

"So the rogues have her?" growled Shadow behind me, her voice was sharp and unsteady, she was worried about Flightpaw. I ignored her; she would only get in the way. But the truth was; I too was concerned. These rogues would kill Flightpaw soon enough, so help had to arrive. There was just enough time to contact Shark…

I closed my eyes and listened, my soul seeping out of my body and drifting down to where my descendant stood, slashing at a tree, trying to improve his technique. I settled myself in a pool of water nearby, and he looked down into it. I smiled, this was a strong cat, not nearly as strong as Flightpaw though, his fierce appearance wouldn't be enough to beat the cat I wanted.

"My father." He murmured, and bent down, bowing his head to me, "I await your command." I smiled and showed him an image of Flightpaw trapped in the crater with the two guards Pride and Fib hissing at each other. The tom got up and snarled, then quieted to listen to me.

"Go and get your sister in secret, hide her on the marsh island until the time is right." I meowed, Sharks eyes glimmered and he nodded, "And Shark..." me kin blinked, his eyes were hard in the light that shone aroudn them, "Kill Sinewpaw, and you will be rewarded with more power then you could ever imagine." Shark smiled, his long, bone fangs glimmering in the light and casting a glare across my eyes.

I slipped away from Shark and returned to my body. Shadow behind me was furious. She spun away into the darkness and I looked down into the silver pool. My grasp on Flightpaw was weakening now; I could not let her escape. I had to kill Sinewpaw at once to keep from being sealed away forever.

**Alright! My birthdays' today!**

**And I got a chappie up!**

**So reveiw as my birthday present!**

**And vote between...**

**Sinewleg**

**or**

**Sinewpelt**


	10. Give me power!

I had lost the rogues scent. I had lost Flightpaw. I was panting now, my sides heaving as I glanced around, drinking in the cooling air of night. A few of the brightest stars glimmered in the sky already, and the moon shone gently on the lake, giving it a slight silvery sheen. The suns last rays were poking over the mountains, soon it would be to dark to see, and I had to get back to Sparklepaw and Frostpelt. So instead of trying to find the scent again, I backtracked and fallowed my scent over the moor to the gorse tangle.

As I reached the top, pains like needles woven in my flanks, I saw Frostpelt and Sparklepaw were both bleeding badly, and had blood dripping from their mouths. Sparklepaw was huffing hard, and Frostpelt looked identical to the ginger tom with his own blood spattered over himself. With a howl I tore down the moor, Jealousy and Hatred spinning around. Sparklepaw saw her chance and leapt at Jealousy.

She landed solidly on her back and clawed forward, getting to her neck. Jealousy whipped around, bucking madly, before twisting around and leaping into the air, spinning, and slamming into the ground with Sparklepaw between her and the moor. There was a sickening crack and Sparklepaw went limp. Blood dribbled out of the side of her mouth. Jealousy let out a gasping cry and twitched, Sparklepaws fangs had caught in the throat. Blood poured from the two holes in her neck, staining the ground and my sister.

Jealousy convulsed a few times before laying still, and I crept over. Sparklepaw was smiling, her eyes half-open, eyes fogged in death. She had taken the last of her strength to kill the terrible rogue, but it wasn't enough. But still, I found myself forgiving her of her foolishness and instead diving into misery. The two cats who I would sacrifice the world two were gone, taken by icy claws of death and kidnap.

Hatred growled at seeing Jealousy dead, and leapt at me. I managed to scramble out of the way as he slashed once, to protect his teammates' body. Jealousy shuddered, the closed her eyes for good. Hatred sniffed her body once, before grabbing her scruff and pulling her away from Sparklepaw. He dropped her and stared at the two of us.

"My name is Hatred." He meowed at last, green eyes as cold as ice, "Jealousy was my mates' sister. I will not kill you now, perhaps later, perhaps ever, but I will remember your faces, your smells, and your claws. If our paths cross again, I shall avenge her death." And with that he flipped her onto his back (using that weird Lion King 2 move that Kovu did during the fire thing) and raced out of the battleground.

I padded slowly back over to Sparklepaw, and sniffed her body. My eyes burned in pain, clouding my vision. I felt Frostpelt brush his tail past my shoulder.

"Don't worry." He murmured, "She will watch over you in StarClan. Come, we will take her body back to the camp." He buried his teeth in her scruff and waited for me to help when I shook my head. I looked up and stared at me.

"I'm going after Flightpaw." I meowed at last, "She's the only cat I care about who I know if alive. If I can't find her, I'll kill myself. Sparklepaw knew what was best for her and me." Frostpelt nodded slowly, and I continued, "I'm going to visit Shark, Bog, and Flash again. I don't know when I'll be back, but when I do come back, I'll have Flightpaw with me." I turned slowly and padded back over the moor. Scourges descendant or not, I knew I loved Flightpaw.

Flightpaw

Shark had saved me from the rogues, and now I was sleeping in a reed island a good distance from the camp where my father, brother, and cousin slept. I was weak, and blood was dying on the back of my neck. I had tried to clean it off, but it wasn't very easy. It hurt every time I touched it, and occasionally I got dizzy spells, where I would fall asleep before I knew I hit the ground. I don't know how long I had been asleep, only that whenever I woke, a mouse was in the clearing, waiting for me.

On the third day of my recovery, Shark came to visit me. Be brought two mice, one for him, one for me, and we talked, it was good to talk to another cat after three days recuperating.

"The Father told me to bring to back to us." He meowed truthfully, "He said to keep you here for a moon, and to keep you hidden from all the others until then. Only Flash and bog know your exact location."

I blinked in surprise; the Father had told Shark to keep me here? Of course, he would want to keep me safe until he could be reborn. I pulled a dirty face and stared at Shark. He knew I was in pain every night from the Black Mark, and the gathering was two sunrises away! At this pace I really would unleash the monster within me.

Shark' ears swirled around and he growled getting up. He stalked out of the den, tail twitching irritably, and vanished into the bog. After a few heartbeats, and gulped, and then quietly fallowed him.

Sinewpaw

It took longer then I thought to find the place where Flash, Bog, and Shark lived. I learned they moved every two days to keep others from getting to them. And I finally picked up Flashs' scent not far from where I had been led. And fallowing it, I found Flash himself sleeping in a murky clearing, with Bog chewing on a water vole nearby. They both pricked their ears when they saw me.

"Sinewpaw." meowed Flash, getting up to touch noses with me, "I thought I'd seen the last of you." I shrugged and sat down, curling my tail around my paws.

"I'm looking for Flightpaw." I meowed, "I was hoping you know where she was. She was kidnapped by rogues two days ago, but I caught their scents all around the swamp, as if they were looking for her. She must've escaped." I glanced around a few times, "Where's Shark?"

"I'm right here." Came the gruff reply of the strong warrior, his fur was fluffed out, making him even more intimidating. He seemed rather angry to look at me, and I fought his cold gaze with every ounce of courage I had. "What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for Flightpaw." I meowed slowly back, "She went-" I broke off as Shark suddenly lunged at me, his long fangs slicing through the air, aimed for my neck. I managed to slip away and felt the fangs graze my shoulder, a droplet of blood dripping down my leg. Shark lunged again, and I managed to get behind Flash to avoid his attack. Flash bolted upright, his gray eyes furious.

"What are you doing, Shark!" he snarled, "Leave Sinewpaw alone!" Shark laughed and pushed his cousin aside, slashing at me with his long claws again. I scrambled out of the way as Bog rose, but Shark knocked him flat and scratching my cheek with one of his long claws.

"Power, father, he will give me power for his death!" he yowled madly. I scrambled out of the way again, and for a brief instant say Flightpaw bounding into camp, her sides long and powerful like Flashs, and muscles taunt and flexing like Shark. She roughly shoved her brother, but before she could anything else, he was upon me, teeth bared, he slammed his paw across my head and everything went black.

Flightpaw

Everything was silent for a moment before there was a trickle and blood oozed out of Sinewpaws' ear. Shark spun around to me and grabbed my scruff, dragging me out of the clearing. I kicked at him and tried to twist around to scratch or bite him, but it didn't work.

"Sinewpaw!" I wailed hopelessly, still fighting Sharks tight grip, "Sinewpaw!" but he was gone.

----------------------------------------

**Yes, well, yes, Sinewpaw hits the hay**

**But he will return in the next chapter!**

**And I have decided his name!**

**And a really cute pairing that just came to me!**

**And thank you for everyone who reveiwed!**


	11. The Creator

**Thanks to everyone who reveiwed! And now, on to the next chappie...**

Flightpaw

"**SHARK**!" a voice snarled, whoever it was, it wasn't any cat in the clearing. Bog flinched and scooted backwards; Flash let out a yelp and sprang away from the reed walls, next to his uncle. Even huge Shark cringed when he heard the voice. In a heartbeat, a white she-cat with sharp, milk-colored eyes stalked into the clearing, stepping neatly around Sinewpaws' limp body.

"**YOU IMBACILE!" **Amy roared again in my brothers face, the larger tom shrank back under her furious gaze and fattening his ears onto his head as he stared at her, "**WHY IN THE SEVEN CIRCLES OF HELL** (sorry)** DID YOU DO THAT!"** Shark opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to say something when Amy struck him on the side of his face, claws unsheathed and ripping from his ear to lower jaw, "**YOU RUINED THE WRATHS PLAN!" **

Shark tremble even more now, and for a moment he looked even smaller then me. Crimson blood dripped down his jaw and landed on the ground and on his long claws. Flash blinked and trembled, to terrified to come to his cousins' aid. Amy spun around, stalking back and forth, pacing madly. I gulped and she spun around to me, milk eyes narrowing.

"You are the Flightpaw-cat, right?" she growled, stalking closer, I could see why Shark scared her so much, staring into her milky eye, it seemed like she was made almost of nothing by pure white clouds, white clouds that flashed and thundered like thunderstorms. All at once, Amy bowed her head to me, "Forgive me for my curtness, earlier." She meowed, and then brought her head back up.

"Before we get moving, I have to tell you more of the rogues." She meowed. She knelt, tucking her paws under her and letting loose a sigh. Flightpaw wondered how she made it through the swamp without getting killed. Amy twisted around and licked a reddened scratch on her pink skin.

"How'd you get that?" I found myself asking suddenly. I at once flinched, expecting her to turn and claw off my nose in anger, but instead she yawned and stretched, casting a hateful glare strait at Shark, Bog, and Flash before licking her paw to draw it over her ear.

"To be perfectly truthful, I got it in a tangle with a fox on the way here." Bog and Flash let out a small gasp while Shark sniffed and turned his head to the side. Flightpaw blinked, confused, and Amy let out a sigh before explaining.

"Flightpaw, I come from a long, long line of, well, how do you say it? Kittypets. Yes, most of them are deaf or very pale gray, and every few generations, one of us is born blind. In this case, it was me." She curled her lip, baring her teeth and narrowing her eyes, "those disgusting Twolegs decided to name me after their disgusting kit; and forever I was branded with the horrible name." she snickered now, "Honestly now, what ferocious warrior has the name _Amy_? It's pathetic. But anyway, I escaped and learned to fight, and became the best one besides the Wrath."

"But, who is the Wrath?" I meowed, eyes wide. I felt much more comfortable around her now; she seemed nice under her snappy and challenging exterior.

"Ah," meowed Amy, smiling, "the Wrath learns us right under the Creator." She smiled, "And the Creator names all of his kin after himself. Pride, Fibs, Gossip, they are all connected to him, and only one cat raises himself between the Wrath and the Creator." Amy grinned darkly now, "And that is you, Flightpaw." I blinked in shock, "Your father here was once named Cruelty, but he ran away from the Creator, and became Bog. Many seasons before met your mother, he was told, his daughter would stand between the Wrath and the Creator. We need you to fill that position now and help us destroy the four Clans, so that the Creator will die in peace."

"But who is this Creator?" I meowed again, a little flustered, "I want to know who he is before I fight him."

Amy grinned now, "Like you he was brought back to life in the body of one of his descendants. It is his sixth season coming back to life now and his name is-" Flash abruptly stood up and left the clearing. Amy glared at him as he passed, and then turned back to me, "What I was going to say is, his name is Tigerstar."


End file.
